France vs. Ukraine in 2026 World Cup Qualifier

France faces Ukraine in a pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with the hosts needing just a victory to secure their automatic qualification for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET, as Les Bleus aim to maintain their unbeaten run and clinch first place in Group D.

France enters the match atop the group with 10 points from four qualifiers, including three wins and a recent 2-2 draw against Iceland that ended their perfect start. That result saw Christopher Nkunku and Jean-Philippe Mateta score late to rescue a point after trailing at halftime. Prior to that, France defeated Azerbaijan 3-0 and Iceland 2-1, while opening the campaign with a 2-0 win over Ukraine in September. The team has not lost a World Cup qualifier since 2017 and boasts a strong home record, winning their last four such matches at the venue while scoring 15 goals. Led by coach Didier Deschamps since 2012, France has enjoyed a dominant era, capturing the 2018 World Cup and the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League title.

Kylian Mbappé remains central to France's attack, having scored in every qualifier he has played...